Marine Aircraft Group 11
| Marine Aircraft Group 11 | |
|---|---|
MAG-11 insignia
|
|
| Active | 1 August 1941 – present |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Branch |
 United States Marine Corps
|
| Type | Fixed Wing Aircraft Group |
| Role |
Offensive Air Support Antiair Warfare Aerial Reconnaissance Assault Support |
| Part of |
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing I Marine Expeditionary Force |
| Garrison/HQ | Marine Corps Air Station Miramar |
| Engagements |
World War II Korean War Vietnam War Gulf War/Operation Desert Storm Operation Enduring Freedom Iraq War |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Colonel William H. Swan |
Marine Aircraft Group 11 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of one F/A-18A++ squadron, two F/A-18C squadrons, one F/A-18D squadron, one fleet readiness squadron, one KC-130J tactical aerial refueling squadron, a maintenance and logistics squadron, and a wing support squadron. They fall under the command of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and the I Marine Expeditionary Force.
Provide air support to Marine Air Ground Task Force commanders.
Although commissioned at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, on 1 August 1941, as the Marine Corps' first aircraft group, elements of the organization that would eventually support its mission actually existed as early as 1 December 1921. Together, these ancestral units were collectively designated as Aircraft Squadron, East Coast Expeditionary Force.
Prior to the beginning of World War II, Marine Aircraft Group 11 (MAG-11) was composed of six tactical squadrons which were based at Marine Corps Air Station Quantico, Virginia and Marine Corps Air Station Parris Island, South Carolina. During the summer and fall of 1941 the Group engaged in maneuvers with the 1st Marine Division in the vicinity of Onslow Beach, North Carolina. They departed for the West Coast of the United States in December 1941. Upon arrival, MAG-11 became the Air-Defense Group for the San Diego, California area, based at Camp Kearny. During this interim pre-deployment period, MAG-11 served as the nucleus of four new air groups destined for combat action in the Pacific. MAG-11 embarked for the South Pacific on 15 October 1942 on the SS Lurline (Mumu). They left with no planes and were expected to fly what they found in the Pacific. Squadrons from MAG-11, such as VMSB-132 and VMF-112 landed on Guadalcanal in early November and were among the first to relive the tired original aviators of the Cactus Air Force. Arriving at Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides Islands, the group launched offensive actions against enemy strongholds, air power, and shipping in the Solomon Islands.
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